November 4th 2008 marked one of the great political moments in American history when the first black man was elected to the White House. Immensely charismatic and politically astute, Barack Obama immediately raised US standing around the world. However he also confronted the most daunting set of challenges. Catapulted into office as America's answer to George W. Bush and the near collapse of the world financial system following the fall of Lehman Brothers, President Obama faced at least six big tests when he took up office. How to bring order to the Middle East? How to repair America's bridges with the Moslem world? How to deal with a newly assertive Russia? How to work with communist China? How to save capitalism? And how to ensure America's continued position at the head of the international table. Professor Mick Cox of the LSE - one of Europe's leading commentators on the United States - will seek to answer these and any other questions in this wide-ranging address.

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